#alt option is that Sam and K have the farm and Whitney is the one traveling with Kelmp

[professorfcknmoriarty]

Okay but hear me out...

Pilotcule Cowboys/Ranch Hands AU

Sam and Whitney have been married for a few years. They're childhood sweethearts with some land out west, working to build a life together on a struggling farm. They're as happy as any two people can be in a life of hard living, though they've always lowkey felt like there was something missing.

One night, their dinner gets interrupted by a knock at the door. They're a little anxious as the local sheriff, Tallulah, has been causing trouble for them. But it's not Tallulah or her cronies - it's a handsome, if filthy, young man who identifies himself as Kelmp on account of his ma dying before she could name him and his pa being too sick with grief to do it, so he uses his pa's name. He introduces himself as passing through the area looking for work. He don't need much, just some hay to lay his head on, and something to warm his belly in exchange for his labour.

Thinking about the fact that half their fence was torn down the week before and Whitney can't afford the help repairing it from locals, and that he's often worried he won't be able to take care of Sam and the farm himself - not that Sam needs it, having the ability to talk her way outta just about anything - he invites Kelmp in to join them for dinner with the understanding he'll get put to work at first light.

A few days in, Kelmp lets slip that he has a friend he'd been traveling with who he got split from but promised to meet up in town, who would also be able to help out, Whitney agrees to temporarily take on his friend K as well.

He and K have an intense relationship, having met a few years back and agreed to travel together. They're too tired and hungry most of the time to talk about their relationship, but there's something deeper always lurking at the surface

K and Sam hit it off immediately, as do they with Whitney. Kelmp kinda feels a little left to the side, up until one night when Whitney and K go into town for something, and Tallulah's cronies show up. Armed with one of Whitney's guns, Kelmp holds them off and scares them away, only for Sam to throw herself into his arms in relief. They kiss but he stops it, terrified of jeopardizing the agreement he has with Whitney - and breaking the man's trust.

Only to find out that they've talked about it before and have been lowkey interested in both of them. Through a mix of hard living and fierce loyalty, the four end up forging a life together as a unit. (And they handle the Tallulah problem.)